There’s a tree at Blarney Castle that’s the stuff of scary legends. This would be Witch’s Yew. Fascinating, it is, according to the Irish, the home of a strange witch… Visitors to the château even claimed to have seen embers escaping from his kitchen fire!
Witch’s Yew – UtDicitur – cc
There’s only one step between myth and legend… Especially in Ireland, which remains a deeply superstitious country, lulled for centuries by rather macabre stories and tales!
Legend has it that a tree on the grounds of Blarney Castle is haunted by the spirit of a witch. More precisely, it’s a twisted yew tree, said to be over 600 years old!
Strangely enough, a “kitchen” is said to have been built at the foot of the tree around 1750. The idea is said to have come from the Jeffreyes family, who piled up a set of stones to make a fire pit.
A rather strange construction, which has contributed to the idea that a witch did indeed live here, and regularly cooked her meals after dark…
Legend has it that this witch is locked away in the famous “Stone of Eloquence” at Blarney Castle by day… and roams the yew tree grounds by night…
A fascinating story, which is said to have earned the tree the title of most haunted tree in Ireland!
A real feat, since it would single-handedly supplant the terrible fairy trees scattered all over the Emerald Isle, which are said to be inhabited by evil fairies!
In short: if you’re not too superstitious, and if you’re feeling adventurous, the tree can of course be visited. Be sure to look for it on the castle grounds: they lie to the east of Blarney Castle, in the heart of a wild woodland park.
The tree itself is absolutely magnificent. Its trunk seems to have split in several places, giving the impression of being the result of several trunks fused together.
As you approach it, you realize that the trunk at the base is hollow, with a stone construction built inside.
Its branches, sometimes magnificent, sometimes sinister, seem to fall sadly to the ground.
Above all, don’t miss the little stone “kitchen” built a few metres from the foot of Witch’s Yew: this strange construction adds to the unusual atmosphere of the place… The whole is bathed in an atmosphere that’s both beautiful and heavy… if you believe in witches’ stories!
Adresse :
GPS :
3.54/5 (400 votes)
